Fulton County Public Records Search
Fulton County public records are held by offices in Lewistown, the county seat. This west-central Illinois county has around 33,500 residents. The county clerk and recorder manages vital records and land documents. The circuit clerk handles all court filings. All offices are in or near the Fulton County Courthouse at 100 N. Main Street. You can visit in person, submit a request by mail, or use online tools to find what you need. Staff in each office can guide you to the right records.
Fulton County Quick Facts
Fulton County Clerk and Recorder
The Fulton County Clerk and Recorder is at 100 N. Main, P.O. Box 226, Lewistown, IL 61542. Call (309) 547-3041, ext. 117 for the clerk's office. This is where you go for birth, death, and marriage certificates. The office also records deeds, mortgages, and other land documents for Fulton County.
Birth records are not public in Illinois. Only the person named on the certificate, a parent listed on it, or a legal representative can get a certified copy. Death records are also restricted. You need to show a personal or property interest. Marriage records are public in Fulton County, so anyone can request a copy. The clerk charges fees for each type of certificate. Call ahead to get the current fee amounts before you visit.
The office also handles elections and business name filings. If you want to file an assumed business name in Fulton County, this is the right office. Staff can walk you through the process and the paperwork.
| Office | Fulton County Clerk and Recorder |
|---|---|
| Address | 100 N. Main St., P.O. Box 226 Lewistown, IL 61542 |
| Phone | (309) 547-3041, ext. 117 |
| Hours | Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM |
Note: Fulton County vital records fees may change, so verify the current cost by phone or on the county website before your visit.
Court Records in Fulton County
The Fulton County Circuit Clerk keeps all court case files. The office is at 100 N. Main, Room 207, P.O. Box 152, Lewistown, IL 61542. Phone is (309) 547-3041. Fulton County is part of the Ninth Judicial Circuit.
Court records here include civil, criminal, family, traffic, probate, and small claims cases. The circuit clerk files and maintains all records of the court. To search for a case, visit the office with a case number or party name. Staff will pull the file for you. Copies are available for a fee. The circuit clerk important links page on the county website has useful resources, including assumed business name registration forms.
The Illinois Courts directory also lists the Fulton County Courthouse details. You can find judge assignments, phone numbers, and directions to the building on this page.
Fulton County Land Records
Land records in Fulton County are stored by the county clerk and recorder. These include deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, and plats. You can search these records at the office in Lewistown during regular business hours.
Some Illinois counties offer online land record access through platforms like Tapestry. Check with the Fulton County recorder to see if online tools are available for searching recorded documents. For historical land records, the Illinois State Archives IRAD page for Fulton County lists what older documents are available for research, including early land patents.
When recording a new document in Fulton County, bring the original to the recorder's window. Staff will stamp it, assign a recording number, and index it. You get the original back after processing. Fees vary based on the document type and number of pages.
Vital Records in Fulton County
The Fulton County Clerk issues certified copies of birth, death, and marriage certificates. The state also keeps copies through the Illinois Department of Public Health. But the county office is usually faster for events that happened in Fulton County.
Genealogy copies are available at a lower fee for older records. Birth certificates 75 years or older, death certificates 25 years or older, and marriage records 50 years or older qualify. The Illinois State Archives has a statewide marriage index from 1763 to 1900 and death indexes going back before 1916. These are free to search online through the state archives databases. Fulton County records are included in these indexes.
FOIA Requests for Fulton County
Anyone can request Fulton County public records under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140). Send a written request to the FOIA officer at the county department that has the records. No special form is needed.
The office must respond within 5 business days. A denial has to include the legal reason in writing. If denied, you can appeal to the Public Access Counselor at 877-299-3642. This is a free service through the Illinois Attorney General's office. Copy fees under FOIA are limited to the actual cost of making the copies.
Note: FOIA covers all Fulton County government bodies including townships, school boards, and special districts.
Fulton County Records Resources
The Illinois state court system has a directory that covers all county courthouses. This page shows the type of information you can find for Fulton County public records access.
Use this directory to look up the Fulton County Courthouse address, phone numbers, and judge assignments before you visit. The site is run by the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts.
Nearby Counties
These counties are next to Fulton County. If your address is near a county line, your records could be in a neighboring county.